


Moon & Sun

by juniperallura



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Zutara, Zutara Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-16 06:16:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10565349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juniperallura/pseuds/juniperallura
Summary: Collection of drabbles from Zutara Week 2016:Reincarnation; Fever; Coffee; Candles; Lilac; Memories; Dragons





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Zutara Week prompt: Reincarnation

**I** n those rare moments when they had the time, Katara loved to sit in front of the fire and let Kanna fill her head with fantastical, romantic Water Tribe tales. As she grew out of girlhood most of the stories were forgotten, but one line lingered in her mind for many years;  _“They say the spark that flies at the brush of lovers’ hands is the feeling of two fates connecting after lifetimes spent apart.”_

 **I** t was after she confronted Yon Rha. They were packing up to return to camp when suddenly Katara’s pack felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. She dropped it, her lip beginning to quiver as much as her hands. She was so tired. As Katara’s throat tightened, she resolutely leaned down to grab her bag and throw it up into the saddle. Before she reached the handle, the back of a pale hand brushed hers. 

If her throat hadn’t been so raw she would have gasped. Her eyes flickered to Zuko’s, wondering if he felt the same jolt; from the expression on his face she guessed he had. Katara froze for a second, Kanna’s words echoing again in her head. With a hard swallow she grabbed the canvas strap, mumbling, “Sorry.”

Zuko’s steady grip encased her shaking hand. His voice was soft, but without pity. “Let me get that.” 

When their gazes met, images flashed before Katara’s eyes.

 **T** here was peace between the nations. Two trading boats were docked at a Water Tribe mercantile port- one Fire Nation, one Earth Kingdom. A woman in a long tunic came teetering out of a store, her piercing blue eyes blinking over the edge of a heavy crate. She shook her head- one of the hair loops she kept pinned back had come loose, making it harder to see. A young Fire Nation man had just stepped off the deck of his ship, filling his lungs with crisp South Pole air. He would have noticed the woman’s struggle and stopped to help, but a crew mate called his name, drawing his attention away from the Earth Kingdom ship. 

 **T** he Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom had been waging war against each other for nearly a decade. Trading routes over the ocean had recently been established by the two kingdoms, but the Water Tribe remained the dominant power on the seas and the only tie holding together faltering trade agreements. One Water Tribe boat had been sailing for days, carrying merchants, diplomats, travelers, and one resolute young woman. She paced the deck every day until she could spot the shores of the Earth Kingdom, where a dower Fire Nation woman was waiting to hand her a nurse’s uniform and march her towards an infirmary tent. At first the sounds and smells were overwhelming, unlike anything she had experienced in her tundra village; but, as she had shouted at her father the day before she left, she was going to make a difference. Her eyes drifted over the beds, unsure of where to begin. She saw one man laying on a cot, his hand pressed against a burn that scorched his left eye. She took a hesitant step forward, but a curt voice called,  _“Nurse!”_ and she was ushered away.

 **T** he lanterns lit up a small piece of the new Earth Kingdom coast. Tribal leaders from all corners of the land gathered to celebrate an unprecedented moment- the establishment of four official nations. Messengers and treaties moved slowly through the new territories, but eventually monks, lords, chiefs, and kings found their way to an echoing cliff-side castle. A Water Tribe princess, her dark skin glowing in fire light, sighed under the weight of her traditional ornamentation. This was the night, her father said, she would be engaged to some strange man from a distant land- a sign of goodwill and diplomacy. Across the room, a Fire Nation prince raised a chalice to his mouth with a sigh, the deep red of his robes glowing strangely under the full moon. This was the night, his mother said, he would be engaged to some strange woman from a distant land- a tactful display of altruism. Their eyes wandered over the crowd, wondering what fate had in store for them that night. Just before their eyes found each other through the filtering bodies, their attention was pulled in opposite directions. Hands from unfamiliar figures draped in green were held out to them. Unbeknownst to them, their fates twisted away from each other, only to meet after countless lifetimes.

 **Z** uko slowly slid the bag out of her grasp, hoisting it up onto Appa. “Are you okay, Katara?” A strange expression flickered in his eyes. Katara wondered if the images were just figments of her tired imagination, or if he had seen them too. When she didn’t answer, he climbed onto the air bison and held out his hand. “We don’t have to talk.”

Katara nodded, taking it gratefully. As she settled next to him in the saddle, she couldn’t help but feel that, visions or not, their fates were now intertwined. 

 


	2. Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Zutara Week prompt: Fever  
> A Blue Spirit/Painted Lady AU  
> Katara discovers she's not the only spirit lurking in the small village

Katara felt the earth give way beneath her. _Shit._ She hit the ground hard, huffing against the dirt before slowly raising herself up on shaky arms. Hard as it was to see under the waning moon, she could tell her vision was blurring in and out. Leaning against the alley wall, she couldn’t stop panting- it was a mistake to go out that night. The painted marks on her arm seemed to spiral around her like curling serpents, and pushing her veiled hat off her head did little to cool her burning forehead. She needed to find water.

The villagers of Jang Hui were surprised when, months after their encounter with the Avatar, travelers from across the region came through to pay their respects to the Painted Lady; apparently, their guardian river spirit had expanded her jurisdiction. Katara had to admit she felt a twinge of guilt every time she snuck away in the night to don her disguise, but that guilt was outmatched by the triumph when she could loosen the Fire Nation’s grip on an innocent village.

That night was no different, but for two things. One; the dizzy heat that pulsed in her veins and churned in her stomach. Two; the whispers of a spirit that circled among the villagers and soldiers. Some well-timed eavesdropping discovered it wasn’t _her_ spirit, but some laughing blue figure of indiscernible character. The villagers spoke of it with cautious reverence; the soldiers appeared to be wary of it. Probably a good sign, but Katara couldn’t help the uneasy feeling that some blue form was shadowing her in the night.

Now, as she tried to stop her head from swimming, the figure appeared again, floating in the moonlight at the end of the alleyway. Not floating. Standing. _Shit._

“Who are you?” Katara called. “What do you want?”

There was a beat of silence. The figure’s voice echoed across the alley, raspy and bottomed out. “You shouldn’t be here. The soldiers are looking for you.”

Katara squinted. Was there something familiar in that voice? Or was it just her wavering consciousness? “They’ll have a hard time finding me. As long as they don’t get any _help_.” The masked spirit took a step closer. Katara pushed herself off the wall and bent some gutter water into a ball, gritting her teeth with the effort. “Stay back.”

The Blue Spirit’s steps paused, hands hovering over the hilts of double swords. “You’re sick.” It was more of a statement than a question.

With every second Katara felt more like a wounded animal, her eyes constantly flickering and her heart pounding. Her face was burning. “I said stay ba-” Something splashed at her feet. She heard her own words fading as the world went black.

Her legs were dangling. Her body bobbed gently up and down. Her face was nuzzled against something warm. Her eyes opened for a moment. She could feel someone’s arms around her, someone’s panting breath against her face. Everything went black again.

She was cool. Something damp pressed gently against her forehead. Her arms rubbed against rough fabric. There was something warm holding the back of her head. She could hear the fussing of an ostrich horse to her left, the rushing of a brook to her right.

Katara’s eyes fluttered open weakly. The face of a laughing blue spirit hovered over her. The figure knelt beside her, holding a wet cloth to her face and cradling her head. Katara blinked in confusion, trying to sit up.

A firm hand met her shoulder. “You passed out. Lay down,” the voice directed. It was still raspy, but didn’t have the same fake depth it did in the alley. The nagging sense of familiarity grew stronger and stronger until it clicked. _Zuko._

With a sudden surge of clarity and strength, Katara leaned upwards and pulled the mask off. His hair was longer, but sure enough it was Zuko’s face, pale save for the scar across his eye, that looked down at her with wide eyes. “Zuko!” Katara croaked, slumping back down. Despite the cooling cloth she still felt hot, and her head swam with sickness and confusion. “What is- how are- don’t-” She suddenly became more aware of his hands on the back of her head and dabbing her forehead.

From the expressions flickering across his face, Zuko didn’t seem sure how to react. He opened his mouth to speak, his face pinched, but just sighed and assumed a blank expression. “You shouldn’t have been out here tonight. The Fire Nation doesn’t take vigilante attacks lightly. They might’ve found you in that alley.” He stood up and walked out of her line of sight, returning with a steaming cup. “Drink this. It will help the fever.”

Against her better judgement, Katara propped herself up and accepted the cup. Part of her wondered if it was all just a feverish hallucination. Part of her wondered if she should try to knock him out and run. Part of her, a part she tried to ignore, was comforted. She wafted the tea- jasmine and ginger. Nothing suspicious. The hot liquid felt like magic against her raw throat. Katara laid back down onto what she realized must be his sleeping bag. “What were you doing in that town? Why are you helping me?” She glared up at two golden orbs that blinked at her and seemed to pull apart into doubles.

Zuko’s eyes held hers for a minute. Katara tried to decipher the expression in them, but her vision was starting to blur around the edges. “Next time stay out of my way, Painted Lady.” She felt a hand on her forehead, but soon slipped into a deep sleep.

Katara came to the next morning with her head in Sokka’s lap at the edge of the campsite. Her brother’s brow pinched with concern. “What happened? Are you okay?” Sokka was asking.

She sat up slowly, her head feeling much clearer than the night before. _The night before._ She looked down at her arms- they were clean, except for a spot of red paint at her elbow. The Blue Spirit. _Zuko._ The strange events came rushing back like a tidal wave. Katara almost wanted to tell Sokka everything, but she just smiled weakly and said, “Yeah, I’m fine. I think I was sleep walking last night, because of the fever.”

Sokka hesitated for a second, but gently helped her up and said, “Someone raided that Fire Nation camp by the village last night. Did a pretty good job of obliterating it,” Sokka flashed a grin, “But we have to get out of here- it’s about to be swarming with soldiers.”

Katara nodded, going over to where her sleeping bag lay untouched. As she bent down the sun hit the patch of red on her arm; after a moment of hesitation, she rubbed it away and went on readying to leave.


	3. Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Zutara Week Prompt: Coffee  
> Katara and Zuko have been busy with their diplomatic duties, but reunite in a familiar place in Ba Sing Se

Katara shut the door behind her, squinting into the darkness. “I thought you said this was the only place in the upper ring that was _open_?” Glad as she was to be out of the driving rain, she was hesitant to follow Zuko any further into the dark building.

“You don’t recognize it?” Zuko’s voice called.

Katara raised a brow. “Recogni-” As she spoke, small flares of fire started to shoot through the air from Zuko’s direction. They caught the lanterns on the wall, slowly illuminating the room with warm, flickering light. A smile spread over Katara’s face. “The Jasmine Dragon! How long has it been?”

Zuko laughed, catching her eye. “Too long.” 

Her eyes drifted over the empty tables and chairs, savoring the nostalgia that swept over her. “Iroh won’t mind us breaking in?”

Zuko considered the question for a second, deciding with a crooked smile, “Not as long as we visit him tomorrow.” He peeled off his sopping cloak, draping it over a stool and heading for the back room. “You want anything? Tea? Coffee, if you can stomach that stuff?”

“Coffee, please,” Katara called, “I still have to make it to the middle ring.” She pulled the water out of her clothes and evaporated it into steam before she took a seat at a table. When Zuko came out carrying their glasses on a tray she couldn’t help but smile- it was just like old times.

“Careful, it’s hot,” Zuko warned as he sat down and held out her drink, “So they put you up in the middle ring, huh? That’s cheap.”

Katara couldn’t help but laugh. _Royalty_. “Well it’s better than the lower ring,” she teased. “Maybe I should be offended they put you in the up-” Katara cut herself off mid-sentence when a snort escaped from Zuko. His eyes were glued to her hands, which were stirring spoonfuls of sugar into her coffee. She pursed her lips. “Is there something you’d like to say?”

Zuko pressed his lips together, taking a slow sip of tea. “Nothing, just…if you wanted a bowl of sugar you could’ve asked for it.”

Katara rolled her eyes. “I’m going to ignore that. Just remember I can make it rain _inside_  too.”

Zuko held her glare for a moment before they both started chuckling. “I missed this.” He hesitantly laid his hand over hers.

“I can’t believe this was the first day together we’ve had in weeks and we spent it bickering with Earth Kingdom generals.” Katara sighed. “I hate Ba Sing Se.”

“Who doesn’t?” Something clouded over Zuko’s eyes as he glanced around them. “I think this place is the only good memory I have in this city.” He looked back at Katara, the candlelight flickering in his eyes. “There’s a lot of bad ones,” he said softly.

Katara was quiet for a moment, squeezing his hand. “You’re a very different person now than you were the first time you came to Ba Sing Se. It’s _good_ those aren’t fond memories.”

“You’re still the same,” Zuko mused, “Still striking fear into the hearts of war-hardened councilmen.”

“That’s my specialty,” Katara winked. She leaned across the table, her eyes dropping to Zuko’s lips. “I think I saw the war-hardened Fire Lord sweating in there, too.”

A smile pulled at the corner of Zuko’s mouth. “Well you’re not exactly the person I’d want to run into in a dark alley.”

Katara met his gaze, brow cocked. “Or the rain?”

Zuko leaned in closer, almost whispering, “Especially not the rain.” 

Their lips met softly. Once, twice, three times; Katara moved to kiss him more deeply, but Zuko pulled away, twisting his face into a grimace. 

Katara sat back, confused. “What’s wrong?”

Zuko stuck his tongue out in a fake gag. “You taste like coffee.”

“Oh yeah?” Katara scoffed, pulling him into another kiss. “Well you taste like _leaf juice_.”

“Now that’s just rude.” Zuko smiled against her lips and said no more, letting the only sound become the pattering of the rain against the Jasmine Dragon’s roof.


	4. Candles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Zutara Week prompt: Candles  
> Zuko and Katara both have healing to do after the final battle

“Lay back,” Katara instructed. Zuko shifted onto the mat with a groan, his hand hovering over his midsection. Katara fished a pair of spark rocks out of her pocket and set about lighting the candles that covered the tables and some of the floor. 

“What are you doing?” Zuko asked from across the room, “Let me-”

“-No.” Katara said plainly, looking over her shoulder. “Stay still. You shouldn’t be exerting yourself.”

“Lighting _candles_ isn’t exerting anything…” Zuko grumbled under his breath but rested his head back against the pillow. 

Soon the room flickered with warm lighting, and Katara dragged a pot of water over to Zuko’s bedside. “Ready?” She asked with a small smile. Zuko hesitated, but something in Katara’s tone comforted him and he consented with a nod. Her hands faltered over his torso, where his shirt was tied loosely about the waist. “Do you mind if-”

“-Go ahead.” He didn’t quite meet her eyes. 

She pulled the two folds of his tunic away, revealing the discolored bandages underneath. “This is going to hurt,” Katara warned. Zuko sucked in a breath and braced himself, biting his lip as Katara peeled away the gauze. She felt a wave of guilt crashing down on her as her eyes raked over the dark, circular wound, but she tried to keep her face expressionless. She put aside the old bandages, wiping her hands down her lap to try and steady them. After a moment she leaned closer to Zuko’s stomach, which rose up and down as he breathed, and gently touched the red and purple flesh with her finger. 

As soon as her finger grazed the wound Zuko hissed sharply. “ _Don’t_ \- touch it,” he choked out, raising his head to glare at her. 

Katara pulled her hand away, her chest tightening suddenly. “Sorry,” she whispered.

Zuko’s face softened. He laid back again with a sigh. “No- I’m sorry. It just…hurts.” He smiled wryly up at Katara, relieved to see her face relaxing.

She placed her hand gently on his shoulder. “I know.” They held each other’s gaze in silence until Katara jerked her hand away, a strange heat coming into her face. She cleared her throat and dipped her hands into the pot of water, directing Zuko, “Now close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. Try to relax.” 

Zuko exhaled with a puff of steam, trying to put the worry and guilt and pain that collected in his chest at ease. The voices of his father and sister that had been haunting him in the past weeks seemed to disappear with every word Katara spoke. Soon the flickering candles that illuminated the room began responding to his breath, flaring up as he inhaled and retreating as he exhaled. 

“Good,” Katara murmured, momentarily transfixed by Zuko’s unconscious bending. “Just keep breathing.” 

A blue glow began to emanate from inside the ring of orange candlelight. Katara pulled her dripping hands out of the pot and gingerly pressed the chi water against Zuko’s wound. There was no hiss, no cry- just Zuko’s steady breathing. The water glowed brighter as Katara pressed her hands more firmly, her breathing slowly falling in time with Zuko’s. She could feel the chi flowing through his body, steady and strong, _except_ - 

Katara narrowed her eyes, focusing the energy of the water on the knot she could feel twisting in the wound. Zuko made a noise in the back of his throat, but said nothing. The water felt cool against his skin and the pain had given way to the pulsing glow of Katara’s bending; but as she pressed harder Zuko felt his heart start to beat quicker, and something began to creep up from his stomach. 

“Zuko, is this okay?” Katara frowned as she watched Zuko’s chest began to rise and fall in shallow, quick intervals.

His eyes fluttered but he muttered, “I’m fine.” He could feel the pressure of Katara’s hands against his torso, but her words were drowned out by the blood pounding in his head. A weight had settled on his chest and was pulling at his mind-

Just as Katara registered a shift in his chi, Zuko sat up, his eyes flying open. A strangled sound escaped his throat and the candles erupted into towering flames. Katara dropped her water, falling backwards onto her ankles. “ _Zuko!_ ”

As quickly as it happened it stopped. Zuko fell back onto the mat, his eyes fluttering shut. Katara rushed over, laying one hand against his chest and the other against his clammy forehead. “Zuko! Are you okay?” She bit her lip, a thousand terrible things running through her mind.

“Katara,” he answered in a croak. His eyes met hers, but seemed to see through her. “You’re- alive. I’m-”

Katara’s mouth dropped, moisture stinging her eyes. She cradled the back of his head. “Zuko, what happened? Are you okay?”

Zuko slowly closed his eyes, and after blinking once or twice he sat up cautiously. “I’m- that was,” he looked around the room, his gaze finally settling on Katara. She blinked expectantly at him. “I saw- my dad. And _lightning_.” He couldn’t quite meet her eyes when he said the word.

“Zuko, you-” Even if she hadn’t been choked with guilt and a whole mess of emotions she couldn’t understand, Katara wasn’t sure she could have finished the sentence. “Zuko, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone so far, this is all my-”

“-Don’t say fault.” He smiled softly, pushing himself up to sit against her shoulder. When he looked over at her his face dropped. “Why are you crying?” His brows knit and he cupped her chin with a gentle hand. “You’re not even the one who got struck by lightning,” Zuko chuckled wryly, raising his eyebrows at her as he moved to brush a tear from her cheek.

“Zuko-” Katara reprimanded him, but couldn’t help giggling as she tried to catch her breath and dry her face. If her eyes hadn’t been puffy and wet, she would have noticed how his hand lingered on her cheek, how close their faces were, how the candles seemed to glow a little brighter than before. But instead she noticed how every time he said ‘lightning’ her chest felt a little heavier, how he winced a little every time he moved, how there was still something hiding behind his eyes. “I think that’s enough for one healing session,” she said, clearing her throat, “Let’s get you bandaged up.”


	5. Lilac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Zutara Week prompt: Lilac  
> Katara and Zuko spend time in the Fire Nation gardens

“You know I never saw a flower until I was thirteen?” Katara bent down, letting her fingers trail absently over the bright petals.

“What?” Zuko looked at her with wide eyes, a tiger daisy twirling between his fingers. “Really?”

Katara straightened up with a raised brow. “I was raised on the tundra. So yes, really.” Her eyes moved slowly over the palace gardens, drinking in the vibrant colors. “But now I kind of miss them, when I go back home,” she sucked in a deep breath, filling her lungs with fragrant spring air, “They’re beautiful.”

Zuko nodded in agreement but couldn’t pull his eyes away from Katara, her skin glowing in the sun, long enough to look at the flowers. He leaned towards her, smiling as he tucked the daisy behind her ear, his hand lingering on her chin. Katara met his eyes, cheeks flushing over a glowing smile. Zuko’s eyelids fluttered and he held his breath, inching his face closer to hers. 

“Tell me what these are,” Katara’s lips curled mischievously, resting her forehead against Zuko’s for a second before turning to the pastel puffs that bloomed around them. 

A nostalgic smile spread over Zuko’s face as he reached out to gently pluck some purple petals and release them into the breeze. “They’re lilacs.” His hand left Katara’s waist to pluck a flower from a low hanging branch. She wrapped her hands around his, her nose hovering over the sweet blossoms. “They were my mother’s favorite.”

Katara’s face lit up eagerly at the mention of Zuko’s mother. “That’s why there’s so many in the garden?” 

He nodded, his eyes glazing over as a breeze rustled the lilac tree. “She used to have vases of them all over the palace.”

Katara reached down to squeeze Zuko’s hand, leaning close to him. They stood still for a minute, Zuko lost in his memories and Katara in their idyllic surroundings. When the breeze fluttered through the garden again, their lips met tenderly under the lilac tree.


	6. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Zutara Week Prompt: Memories

Nothing serves for a bedtime story quite so well as saving the world. Katara and Zuko told their stories many times- to family, friends, strangers. When they were young, the words were given freely; but, somewhere along the way, those memories became more precious than words could describe. They held their stories close to their heart, letting the world become a riddle, full of hidden symbols and clues that only they could decipher.

Eyes met when a sudden breeze carried the scent of cherry blossoms to them: their first kiss. Knowing smiles were exchanged when they strolled over a certain garden bridge: their (ridiculous) first fight. Hands found each other at the sight of a panda lily: the night they decided they would never be apart. 

Katara loved when an old favorite came on the radio; she could take Zuko’s weathered hand in hers and let the music do the talking. In their living room, she could lean her head against his chest as they swayed and smell the same cologne that wafted through the air forty years before in a swanky club. For Zuko, nothing was quite so comforting as his wife’s low hum buzzing against his chest. 

They didn’t need words- they had their memories.


	7. Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Zutara Week Prompt: Dragons

Even years later, the feeling wasn’t lost on her. The wind whipping her hair, the warmth of the arms that wrapped around her waist- the fact that she was riding a _dragon_. (A _**dragon!**_ )

Katara was filled with wonder every time Druk seemed to sense her shivering under Zuko’s cloak on clear winter nights, and let out a puff of steam to warm the air. She gave his scaled back a pat every time he skimmed the surface of Capital City’s bay so she could dip her feet into the summer water. She couldn’t help but smile every time she saw the look in Zuko’s eyes as they twisted through the sky- the joy, the trust. 

Only once did she ever take those experiences for granted. She and Zuko were strolling over a frosted bridge on the last night of a diplomatic trip to the Northern Water Tribe. Zuko’s eyes seemed to reflect the lights dancing in the sky as he told Katara how he and Druk had woven through a field of icebergs and climbed into the sky. She watched him gesture widely with a smile, taking his arm as she chuckled, “Maybe your title should be Zuko the Dragon Tamer- it’s got a nice ring to it.”

Suddenly his face dropped. “Katara-” Zuko frowned, his tone unexpected serious. Katara raised an eyebrow, her smile falling. “Druk chose to stay with me, it’s not like I _captured_ him, I wouldn’t- I never-”

“-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, it was a dumb joke.” Katara squeezed his hand, making sure her voice didn’t become defensive. “I know how much he means to you, how much you respect him. And that you’re not like your ancestors.” Zuko smiled gratefully, returning the pressure of her hand. Katara leaned against his shoulder with a smile, “But I think your great-grandfather would be proud of your choice- and Druk’s.” 

Zuko’s eyes had a distant look until they met her’s. “Me too,” he said softly.


End file.
